"What in the World? Weekly Quiz" - October 5-11, 2020

A global affairs awareness service provided by the
Tennessee World Affairs Council

CLICK ON IMAGE FOR QUIZ

LAST WEEK’S QUIZ WINNERS

Jim Shepherd, Nashville, TN
Melissa Davis, Nashville, TN
David Hillinck, Huntsville, AL
Pat Miletich, Nashville, TN
Charles Bowers, Nashville, TN
Judy Hollinger, Houston, TX
Mary Raffety, Nashville, TN
Beverley Ketel, Peoria, IL
Rich Buck, Peoria, IL
Joseph Mendenhall, Bedford, TX

WELL DONE!

Joseph from Bedford, Texas, thanks for joining the quiz and your “this is great” note. Judy from Edwards, IL thought last week’s quiz was “difficult,” so did Connie from Peoria. But Judy form Houston said she “did better” with this one.

Thanks to all who are curious about the world every week. Good luck this week.

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A $300 Above-the-Line Charitable deduction, meaning that individuals who do not itemize their deductions will be eligible to claim up to $300 of charitable deductions in 2020, on top of the standard deduction
Modified Limitations on Cash Charitable Contributions – for 2020, the 60% AGI limitation on cash contributions to 501(c)(3) organizations, such as WACA, is suspended

Please give to support global affairs awareness programs in the community and in your schools.

September 2020 – Quiz Prize Winner – Mary Raffety of Nashville, TN

Congratulations

Turning Point: Policymaking in the Era of Artificial Intelligence

by Darrell M. West and John R. Allen

LAST WEEK’S QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

What in the World? Quiz – Week of Sep 28-Oct 4, 2020

1. The office of South Korea’s president, Moon Jae-in, announced that it had received THIS from North Korean leader Kim Jong-un after a South Korean man purportedly attempting to defect was killed by North Korean troops:

A. A delegation of North Korean officials, sent to discuss securing the border between the two nations
B. A new car, sent as reparations for the victim’s family
C. A rare letter of personal apology for the incident
D. Compensation funds for the victim’s family

Correct Response: C. A rare letter of personal apology for the incident
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-54291550

2. A referendum in Switzerland on Sunday will determine the fate of that country’s current freedom of movement agreement with the European Union. Should Swiss voters decide to close its borders to free movement, they will also give up access to THIS:

A. Access to Europe’s free-trade areas
B. Collaboration with Brussels on the environment and education
C. Ease of transport between Switzerland and other EU countries
D. All of these

Correct Response: D. All of the above
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-54269138

3. Fans of amphibians rejoiced this week at the apparent reappearance of the Hall’s water frog, native to hot springs in the Atacama Desert. The Hall’s water frog hadn’t been seen in 80 years until it reappeared in a small oasis, thus earning it the designation “ghost frog.” The Atacama Desert (and the “ghost frog”) are located primarily in which country?

A. Ecuador
B. Chile
C. Brazil
D. Colombia

Correct Response: B. Chile
https://www.cnn.com/2020/09/24/americas/chile-ghost-frog-scli-intl-scn/index.html

4. Farmers across India are blocking roads and railroad tracks to protest agricultural market reforms proposed by THIS party, India’s ruling party since 2014. India’s farmers are afraid that the new reforms will strip them of the protection against market forces that they currently enjoy:

A. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
B. Indian National Congress (INC)
C. All Indian Trinamool Congress (AITC)
D. National Congress Party (NCP)

Correct Response: A. Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP)
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-india-54277325

5. Question of the week from United States Institute of Peace (USIP) reports.
American peace negotiator Zalmay Khalilizad spoke about Afghan aspirations and the failure to build peace in response to THIS 1980s event saying the current talks “have opened the door to the two sides sitting together to correct history.”

A. The Arab Spring
B. The Islamic Revolution
C. The collapse of the Soviet Union
D. Withdrawal of the Soviet Union

Correct Response: D. Withdrawal of the Soviet Union
https://www.usip.org/publications/2020/09/afghan-talks-are-historic-chance-peace-says-top-us-negotiator

6. In the midst of a severe economic downturn that has seen unemployment skyrocket to 37% and in the aftermath of a massive explosion that killed hundreds and injured thousands, Lebanon suffered another setback in September when THIS happened:

A. Prime Minister Designate Mustapha Adib resigned, after failing to form a cabinet
B. A key party left the tenuous ruling coalition
C. Lebanon’s application for international aid was refused by the World Bank
D. The current president, Michel Aoun, resigned

Correct Response: A. Prime Minister Designate Mustapha Adib resigned, after failing to form a cabinet
https://www.bbc.com/news/world-middle-east-54307896s

7. The United States passed the grim milestone of 200,000 deaths due to COVID-19 this week. For perspective, which of the following statements is true?

A. Three times more Americans have died from COVID-19 than did in the Vietnam War
B. The COVID-19 death toll is equivalent to roughly 65 times the number of deaths from the 9/11 attacks
C. COVID-19 has killed a larger percentage of the U.S. population than it has in any other wealthy country
D. All of the above

Correct Response: B. All of the above
https://www.axios.com/united-states-200000-coronavirus-deaths-17dc9d72-933b-473d-aa65-b7887eafffa2.htmls

8. In a secret swearing-in ceremony designed to circumvent protests, Alexander Lukashenko was inaugurated in September for a sixth term as president of THIS country:

A. Albania
B. Latvia
C. Ukraine
D. Belarus

Correct Response: D. Belarus
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/23/lukashenko-sworn-in-belarus-president-secretive-ceremony

9. Officials at Helsinki’s airport are piloting a new method of screening arriving passengers for COVID-19, and Finnish researchers say preliminary results are promising. Instead of the dreaded nasal swab, the new tests use THIS:

A. Chewable, fruit-flavored tablets that give a purple hue to the mouths of those infected, and which have nearly 100% accuracy
B. Sniffer dogs who can detect infections with nearly 100% accuracy, even before symptoms develop
C. 15-minute hair follicle tests that show infection when exposed to hydrogen peroxide
D. Quick-stick blood tests that indicate high white blood-cell counts, a known precursor in those who later exhibit symptoms of the virus

Correct Response: B. Sniffer dogs who can detect infections with nearly 100% accuracy, even before symptoms develop
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/24/close-to-100-accuracy-airport-enlists-sniffer-dogs-to-test-for-covid-19

10. The French government recently announced that it will increase the amount of time employees get for THIS type of leave, doubling it from 14 days to 28:

A. Paid paternity leave
B. Paid sick leave
C. Paid COVID-related leave
D. Paid vacation

Correct Response: A. Paid paternity leave
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2020/sep/23/france-doubles-paid-paternity-leave-to-28-days

THANKS TO OUR PARTNERS IN GLOBAL AFFAIRS AWARENESS AND EDUCATION OUTREACH

THE MISSION of the nonprofit, nonpartisan Tennessee World Affairs Council is to promote international awareness, understanding and connections to enhance the region’s global stature and to prepare Tennesseans to thrive in our increasingly complex and connected world.

THE VISION of the Tennessee World Affairs Council is a well-informed community that thinks critically about the world and the impact of global events.